Sugar-cane planter



June 17, 1930. ESTEVEZ SUGAR CANE PLANTER Filed March 12, 1928 6 SheetsSheet 1 "June 17, 1930. A. Q. ESTEVEZ SUGAR CANE PLAN1ER 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 12, 1928 Inventer 3 Esievez ndre Q G :4zt 0mey June 17, 1930. E 1,764,159

' SUGAR CANE PLANTER F,iled March 12, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 'ndre sievez June 17, 1930. A. Q. ESTEVEZ SUGAR CANE PLANTE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 12, 1928 6 SheetsSheet 6 Filed March 12., 1928 Inventer ndres s?evez B v Attomg Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANDIRIS QUINTERO nsrnvnz, or FRANKIJN, mnssAonosmms Application fl1ed March 12, 1928. .Sri a1 No. 260,960.

Thepresent invention relates to a planter for sugar cane and has for its prime Object 'to provide a planter which will dig a tur- 1'0W and deposit therein at regular intervals a cane stalk with a proper amount of fertilizer;

Another very important object of the in vention resides in the provision of a plow Whieh is acljustable t0 dig at the desired depth in the soil and Whioh is provided with a boot structure for guiding the cane from a hopper to the furrow made by the plow.-

Another very important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a hopper l1aving a partition extending longitudinall hereof, t0 divide the hopper into a cane compartment and a fertilizer compartment, and means for individuallvdelivering from the hopper the cane Stalks, and simultaneously delivering a pre-determined'amourit of fercilizer.

A urther very important object of the invention resides in the provision of aplanter of this nature, containing in a compact and convenient arrangement on a mobile t1on proceeds, the invention resicles in o'ertain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as Will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings; Figure 1 is a side elevation of the planter embodying the features of my invention. Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof. Figure 3 is a front elevation thereof.

Figure 4 is a perspective view ofone of the canereceiving membersof the delivery mechanism.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section taken through the hopper.

Figure 6 is an elevation 'of the cane delivering reel.

Figure 7 is plow unit. r

Figure 8 is a rear end elevation of the pl0W unit. w

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a bracket used in conjunction with the adjusting mecha detail side elevation of the anism of the plow unit.

Figure 10 is afragmei1tary side elevation showing particularly the forward portion of another embOdiment of the planter,- and Figure 11 is a front end elevation of the ploW unit thereof showing an adjusting shaft in section. r H 7 Referring to the drawing in detail, it Will be seen that numerals5 denote a pair of longitudinal frame bars, and numerals 6 another pair of longitudinal f rame bars spaced inwardly from the frame bars 5 and spaced from each' other. The frame bars-extend a considerable distance to the rear 'of the rear ends of the bars 5 'andhaQve jou by means of bearing naled on the rear ends brackets 7, an axle shaft 8, on thecenter of Which is fixed a wheel 9, having an annular rim 10, which is dished out, on its periphery, as is olearly shown in Figure 3; Cross' bars 11 are disposed between the rear ends of the bars 5 and intermediate portions of the bars 6. A plrtf0rm 12 is mounted on the longitudinal frame bars 5 and 6,terminating a slig'ht distanceforwardly of the wheel'9.

transverse vertical wall' 13 rises from the 1 rear portion of the platform 12 and is braced as at 14, in respect to the longitudinal bar 6. In the forward portion of the platf0rm there is formed a longitudinally -eXtending slot '14, starting from the forvvard edge of the platform and terminating a little rearwardly of the center thereofL A shaft 15 is journaled in brackets 16, on the Platform 12, to extend transversly therof, inimediately to the rear of therear end ofthe slot 14; A- sprocket 17 is loose on the shaft 15 and has a clutch unit 18associated therewith and operable in any convenient manner. A sprocket' 19 is mounted on the axle shaft 8 at one edge and a chain 20 is sprained over the sprocket 19 and the sprocket 17 and obviously by placing the clutch 18 in izn engaged position the shaft 15 may be ro- ;ated, as the planter moves, n A pair of runners 21 mergeat'heir forward erids in rising shanks 22,the upper ends of Whih are attached to forward portions of the longitudinal frame hars 5, andutliese shanks are iurther braced as at 23, to the frame bars 6.

A hopper 24 of oblong construction -is disposed transversely across the forward portion of the platf0rm 12 and hasfor its wttom a portion of the platf0rm 12. This iiopper is formed with a partition 25;disposed longitudinally and terminating a dis tance above the platf'orm 12 to one side of the slot 14. A cylindi*ical drum 26keyed un the shaft 27 rotates in the space btxveen 6he P1a e m 2 and h lowe e l the partition 25. This Shaft 27 is jour haled the front and rear mails of the hopper and entends through the rear Wall and lias on ts rear end a beyelled gear 28, meslnng V1th beve efl gea 29 o th shaft he drum 26 is provided xyithlongitudinally exen n p ph ra p9ck s; O, "a t P 1ition 25 C lYllflS the hoPper into a fertihzer ornpartment'A and a ane compartment B. As the drurn 26 rotates, in the direction 1ndica ted by the arrow in Figure 5, it Vl ll be seen that the pockets 30 Will fill With ferli r f 9m e ompar mea an slu fertilizer through the slot 14, A reel ,R 1 s mo nted n ,a shnt 2 .j ma ed in the front and rear walls of the hopper 24, and extending through the re'ar ,wall and having .on its rear end a bevelled pinion 34 niesh g W h he be e le pm oz 35 'ther afi so that he sh t opposite direction from the sh the shaf t 15 isrevolving. The reel R com prises disc like sides 36 k eyed on the sha ft 32 in spaced relation to eaeh other and in spaced relation to the front and rear walls of the hoppen These sides 36 are formed with peripheral notchesp3, and cane receix ing members 38 are disposed between the sides and have faces 38 dished out and curved concentrically with pprtions of the notches 37, so that .when,t e reel rotates and picks up stalks of cane the notches, these members 37 Will brace the stalks and prevent the breaking thereof The reel rorates in. the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 5, and it Will be seen that as a supply of frtilizer is being durnped through the slot 14, dropped thereto. When the Cane stalk is being It also' will be noted thjat dropped so as to'exterid longitudinally of the planter, in

order to feed the cane tow ard the reel, a

bottom 39 is formed in the compartment B 32 ll reole in an aft 27 whe'n the cane stalk will also be of the hopper 24 and slanted downwardly toward the reel.

The' letter P denotes generally a plow unit, the plow proper thereof including a digging point 40, with a share like extension curved outwardly and rearwardly therefrom, as indicated at 41, and terminating in a bar 42 disposed vertically and slotted longitudinally as at 43. A pair of boot formiiig W2ills 44, are attached at their forward nds'to the extension 41 and'lextend rearwardly therefrom in spaced relation to each ot-herfi The upper portions .of these Walls as indicated at 45, incline upwardly and outwardly froni each other to form a flared entrance to the boots. A bar 46 extends downwardly between portions 45, and a dis tance between the walls 44 but terminates above the lower edges thereof. The bar 46- is slotted longitudinally as at 47 ,in registry With the slot 43 of the bar 32, these bars 42 and 46 being disposed in spaced parallelism. shaft 48 is journaleid tlnough the front and rear walls,of. the hopper 24 and extendsthrough the slots 43 and 47, itbeing noted that the bars 42 and 46 entend up alongsidethe outer surfaces of the front and rear -Walls of the hopper.

gear segment 49 is fixed to the front end of the shaft 48, and a link 50 is connected thereto and to the Plowunit at its extension 41,'as is indicated at51, in Figure 1. On the rear end of thshaft 4Sthere is fixed a cranlc arrn 53 which has connected with its Wall, the terminal of the arm being provided with a pintle 58 on which 59 operable by a* crank 60. The gear 59 meshes With the gear segment 49; t Wi ll thus be seen that by turning the gear 59 to its crank 60 the segment 49 and the shaft 48 may be rocked, and the links50 Will pull upwardly on the plow unit, lifting the same, so that the point 40 may dig into the ground at the desired depth or may be raised to such a position as not to engage the ground. Th e plow unit is guided in its vert1eal adjustment by the slotted bars 42 and 46, cooperating with the shaft throngh slots 43 and 47.

The planter may be pulled along. by any suitable draft means and in the present instance I have disclosed a tongue 61 which is bifurcated at its'rear end and attached to the sides of the bar 42 at its junctnre with the extension 41. This feature, however, is not of the. essence of the invention.

In Figures 10 and 11, I have disclosed another embodiment of the plow unit adjusting mechanism wherein the slot 43' corresponding t0 slot 43, in the front 'bar42 is is rotatable a gear 48 which extends provided on one longitudinal edge with rack teeth 62. The rear bar 46 is similarly formed. A shaft 63 bas pinions 64 there'on, meshing with the rack teeth 62. This sharft 63 is j0urnaled through the front and rear walls of the hopper, and ,obviously when turned, Will cause the raising and lowering of the plow unit. 63, I mount on the forward portion thereof a disc 65, which is provided with a series of circumferentially spaced peripheral indentures 66. A lever 68 is rockable on the forward end of the shaft 63 and has a dotent or pin 69 for engaging the inden cures 66, said detent or pin being releasable through a link 70 and a hand lever 71 rockable on the lever 68. A spring pressed pin r that disclosed in Figures 10 and 11, When the clutch 18 is thrown in, the shaft 15 Will rotate simultaneously, to cause the rotation o.f the cane feeding reel and the fertilizer feeding drum, so that as the plowunit digs the urrow the cane and fertilizer Will be in termittently fed t0 drop into the boot portion of the plow unit, to be deposited in the ,furrow and subsequently covered by the wheel 9 and its dished ont rim 10.;Of course, When the machine is moved along and it is desired that the same 'not operate,

the plow unit Will be adjnsted sufiiiently high to clear the ground and the clntch 18 Will be thrown out.

It is thought that the construction, oper,

ation, and advantages of this invention Will n0w be quite apparent to those skilled in this art, without a more detailed description thereof. It Will be apparent that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted t0, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages. 7

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new is:

1. In a sugar cane planter, and in combination, a mobile trame, a hopper supported on the frame and provided in its bottom with an opening, a partition in the hopper to provide therein a cane compaLrtment and a ertilizer compartment, means for feeding individual stalks of cane through the opening, means for eeding a quantity of fertihzer simultaneously with each stalk of In order to rock the shait cane, a plow supported by the frame below the'hopper, a pair of vertical walls mounted on the plow to extend rearwardly from the plow in spaced' relation to each other, so that the space between the walls is below the opening. c

2. In a sugar cane planter, a hopperham ing its bottom formed With a slot extend-.

ing longitudinally of the planter, a partition in the hopper extending longitudinally of the planter and terminating a distance above the bottom of the hopper to one.side of the.slot, a drum rotatably mounted in the hopper below the partition to one' side ofthe opening, and a cane deliveringreel rotatable in the hopper in the other side of the slot.

3. In asugar cane planter, a hopper having its bottom f0rmed with a slot extending longitudinally ofthe planter, a partition in the hopper extending longitudinally of the planter, and terminating a distance above thbottom of the hopper to one side of the slot, a drum rotatably mounted in the hopper beloW the partition to one side ofthe opening, a cane delivering reel rotatable in the hopper in the other side ofithe slot, said reel comprising a pair of disc like sides having peripheral notches, and members extending between the sides and having dished outspaces cor icentrically disposed with the.

notches.

4:.In a sugar cane planter, a plow unit comprising a digging point with an extension rising upwardly therefrom and terminatinginabar, a pair of plates fixed to the extensionand disposed rearwardly in spaced relation to each other, a bar extending downward ly between the plates at their rear edges and terminating a distance above their bottorh edges.

5.In a sugar cane planter, a plow unit comprising a digging point with an extension rising upwardly therefroni and terminating in a bar, a pair of plates fixed to the extension and disposed rearwardly in spaced r relation to each other, a bar extending downwardly between the plates at their-rear edges and terminating a distance above their bottom edges, a hopper, a frame for supporting the hopper, said bars rising alongside of the front and rear walls of the hopper, a shaft journaled in the hopper, a 'crank on one end of the shaft, a gear segment on the other end of the shaft, links connecting the segments and the cranl: with the plow unit, and a gear for operating the gear segment to raise and lower the plow unit.

6. In a sugar caneplanter, a plow unit comprising a digging point with an extension rising upwardly therefrom and terminating in a bar, a pair of plates fixed to the extension and disposed rearwardly in spaced relation to each other, abar extending downwardly between the plates at their rear edges and terminating a distance above their bottom edges, a hopper, a rame for supporting the hopper, said bars rising alongside of the front and rear walls of the hopper, a shaft journaled in the hopper, a crank on one end of the shaft, a gear segment on the other end.

of the shaft, links connecting the segments and the crank with the plow unit and a gear for operating the gear segment t0 raise and lower the plow unit, a wheel 1ournaled et the rear of the fratrie, runners mounted at the front of the frame, said Wheel havinga dished rim.

7. In a sugar cane planter, a plow finit comprising a digging point with an extensien rising upwardly therefrom and terminating in a bar, a pair of plates fixed tothe extension and disposed rearwardly in spaced relation to eaeh other, a bar extending downwardly between the plates at their rear edges and terminating a distance above their bottom edges, a hopper, a frame for supporting the hOpper, said bars rising alongside of the front and rear walls of the hopper, a shaft journaled in the hopper, a crahk on une end of the shaft, a gear segment on the other end of the shaft, links connecting the segments and the Crank with the plow unit, and a gear for Operating the.gea1 segment t0 raise and 10Wer the plow unit, means for simultaneously feeding individual stalks of cane and a quantity of fertilizer fromthe hopper to the space between the plates, said means being operatively cOnnected with said wheel.

In testim0ny whereof I affix my signature.

ANDRS QUINTERO ESTEVEZ. 

